Malaysian deploys three navy ships to Gulf of Aden

Sep 5, 2008, 11:02 GMT

Kuala Lumpur - Malaysia's navy has deployed three ships to the Gulf of Aden in Yemen to protect the country's merchant ships following an increase in the frequency of pirate attacks in the area, officials said Friday.

Several 'military and logistics aid' belonging to the Royal Malaysian Air Force has also been deployed to monitor Malaysian ships in the Gulf of Aden, said air force operations commander Rodzali Daud.

'Yes, we do deploy our assets there, including to assist in the operations by the Royal Malaysian Navy,' Rodzali was quoted as saying by the official Bernama news agency.

'Perhaps, more (military elements) will follow,' he said.

Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak was quoted as saying in reports Friday that three navy vessels, carrying an unspecified number of soldiers and several helicopters, will provide security for five ships owned by Malaysian shipping line MISC Berhad which are currently travelling along the pirate-infested waters off Somalia.

The move came after two MISC tankers were hijacked by armed pirates in the gulf last month, prompting an immediate ban by the company on travelling in the region until additional security measures were in place.

Two of the navy ships are expected to reach the Gulf of Aden in the next few days, while another will leave Malaysia soon, Najib was quoted as saying by the Star daily.

The Gulf of Aden, which connects the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean, is one of the world's busiest waterways with some 20,000 ships passing through each year.

Pirates seized the Malaysian palm oil tanker, MT Bunga Melati 2, in the Gulf of Aden between Somalia and Yemen on August 19, resulting in the death of a Filipino sailor. Another MISC tanker, MT Bunga Melati 5, was hijacked 10 days later in the same waterway.

Pirates have reportedly demanded a 3 million dollar ransom for the two ships and 79 crew, including 14 Filipinos, local newspapers said.